Eliminating Violence Against Women

Overview

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is both a human rights violation and one of the most widespread drivers of poverty. As well as impacting on mental and physical health, violence (and the threat of violence) can also deny women and girls opportunities that would otherwise help to lift them out of poverty, such as attending school, working outside of the home and participating in civil society.

Ending VAWG is a core pillar of Oxfam's work on putting an end to gender injustice.

The campaign has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by:

Raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels.

Strengthening local work around violence against women.

Establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women.

Providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies.

Demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women.

Creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

16 Days of activism against gender violence

Photo 1/10photo by: Imad Aoun

“It’s easy to say we want to “empower” women, but how practical is it when they go back to their homes and communities where they are surrounded by the same destructive habits. We need to be careful not to push women from one form of violence to another if they “speak up” or “revolt” against injustice.” That is why Manal thinks we need buy-in from “non-traditional” targets. “Women do not want to eliminate men, we want a partnership…And you need men and boys to believe in this cause to create a critical mass that will revolt against the tyranny of patriarchy.”

Latest blogs on Violence Against Women Girls

03 Jan 2015

As part of the 16 days of activism on violence against women, Oxfam in Myanmar staff took part in an awareness-raising event. Here, gender intern May Phu explains the significance of such activism... Read more

09 Dec 2014

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign, bookended quite deliberately by two international days of reflection and action which open and close it: the International... Read more

25 Nov 2014

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. November 25th is a day set aside to raise awareness and trigger action on this global problem. Here, Nay el Rahi tells... Read more